Multifunctional chair

ABSTRACT

A multifunctional chair comprises a base adapted to rest on the ground; a support frame including a seat part and a backrest part pivotally attached to the seat part; a leg frame supporting the support frame and including a rear leg having a first end pivotally connected to the backrest part and a second end pivotally connected to the base; and a power-operated telescopic device including a telescopic member pivotally connected to the seat part and being operable to maintain the seat part at a level lower than said backrest in a normal position providing a chair function, or to move the seat part to a first raised position in which the seat part together with the backrest part are placed in a substantially horizontal position, or to a second raised position in which the seat part together with the backrest part are inclined at substantially the same inclining angle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the priority of Taiwanese application No.093212305 filed Aug. 3, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a chair, more particularly to amultifunctional chair which provides a number of uses or functions.

2. Description of the Related Art

People in this modern world cannot get as much exercise as necessary dueusually to the confines of their environment. As such, there are varioustypes of exercise or fitness equipment in the market available to usersfor indoor operation so as to achieve the effect of body exercise andhealth. However, such exercise or fitness equipment as inversion tablesand back stretching machines for stretching the body should be of aconsiderable length because there has to be a flat surface for the bodyto lie down. Thus, the currently available exercise or fitness equipmentusually provides only one use or function. There is no economicadvantage at all for such exercise or fitness equipment which takes upspace but has only few uses or functions.

The present invention is thus contrived in an attempt to alleviate theabove shortcomings of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide amultifunctional chair with increased use benefits as well as bettereconomic results achieved.

Accordingly, the multifunctional chair according to the presentinvention comprises a base adapted to rest on the ground; a supportframe including a seat part and a backrest part pivotally attached tothe seat part in the normal position of the chair; a leg framesupporting the support frame and including a rear leg disposed betweenthe backrest part and the base, the rear leg having a first endpivotally connected to the backrest part and a second end pivotallyconnected to the base; and a power-operated telescopic device disposedbetween the base and the support frame, the telescopic device includinga telescopic member pivotally connected to the seat part, the telescopicmember being operable to maintain the seat part at a level lower thansaid backrest in the normal position providing a chair function, or tomove the seat part to a first raised position in which the seat parttogether with the backrest part are placed in a substantially horizontalposition, or to a second raised position in which the seat part togetherwith the backrest part are inclined at substantially the same incliningangle.

The multifunctional chair according to the present invention is capableof three configurations to provide three different functions. In thefirst normal chair configuration, a weight lifting device may beattached to the front end of the seat part so that a user may sit on thechair and perform some foot exercises. In the second configuration inwhich the seat part and the backrest part are placed in a substantiallyhorizontal position, a flat surface is provided for a user to performback stretching exercises or other suitable exercises. In the thirdconfiguration in which the seat part and the backrest part which are inthe horizontal position are inclined at substantially the same incliningangle, the exercise function of an inversion table is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a first preferred embodiment of themultifunctional chair according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the first preferred embodimentshowing the seat part and the backrest part of the multifunctional chairin a substantially horizontal state;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the first preferred embodimentshowing the seat part and the backrest part inclined in substantiallythe same inclining angle to provide the function of an inversion table;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a second preferred embodiment ofthe multifunctional chair according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the second preferred embodimentshowing the seat part and the backrest part of the multifunctional chairin a substantially horizontal state;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the second preferred embodimentshowing the seat part and the backrest part inclined in substantiallythe same inclining angle to provide the function of an inversion table;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a third preferred embodiment of themultifunctional chair according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the third preferred embodiment ofshowing the seat part and the backrest part of the multifunctional chairin a substantially horizontal state; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the third preferred embodimentshowing the seat part and the backrest part inclined in substantiallythe same inclining angle to provide the function of an inversion table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The construction of the preferred embodiments of the multifunctionalchair according to the present invention will now be described ingreater detail in conjunction with the drawings where like referencenumerals are used to identify like elements.

Referring to FIG. 1, a first preferred embodiment of the multifunctionalchair according to the present invention as shown therein generallycomprises a base 1 adapted to rest on the ground, a support fame 2, aleg fame supporting the support fame 2 onto the base 1, and apower-operated telescopic device 5 disposed between the base 1 and thesupport frame 2.

The base 1 extends in a horizontal direction and has opposing first end11 and second end 12. The support frame 2 includes a seat part 21 and abackrest part 22 pivotally connected to a rear end of said seat part 21.The leg frame includes a front leg 3 disposed between the seat part 21and the base 1 and attached to the base 1 at a position adjacent thefirst end 11 of the base 1, and a rear leg 4 disposed between thebackrest part 22 and the base 1. The rear leg 4 has a first end 41pivotally connected to the backrest part 22 and second end 42 pivotallyconnected to the base 1 at a position adjacent the second end 12 of thebase 1.

The power-operated telescopic device 5 includes a telescopic member 51pivotally connected to the seat part 21 at a position between the frontleg 3 and the rear leg 4. The telescopic member 51 has an internallythreaded outer cylinder 512 pivotally attached to the seat part 21, atthe position denoted by the pivot connection “A” between the front andrear ends of the seat part 21 as shown in the drawing, and a rotatableexternally threaded rod 511 inserted threadedly into the outer cylinder512. The telescopic device 5 further includes drive means 52 forrotating the rod 511 to either extend from or retract into the outercylinder 512. The drive means includes a gear box 521 mounted on thebase 1, and a motor 522 connected to a gear mechanism (not shown) withinthe gear box 521, which in turn is connected to the threaded rod 511 todrive the rotation of the threaded rod 511.

The telescopic member 51 can be actuated by the drive means 52 to formthree different configurations of the multifunctional chair to providethree different functions. In the normal position when themultifunctional chair provides a chair function as shown in FIG. 1, thetelescopic member 51 is operated to maintain the seat part 21 at a levellower than the backrest part 22. In this normal chair configuration, thefront leg 3 of the leg frame and the telescopic device 5, which isdisposed between the front leg 3 and the rear leg 4, both support theseat part 21. It is possible, however, for the telescopic device 5 toprovide such supportive function alone and, in such cases, the front leg3 may be eliminated. The backrest part 22 is confined to the position bythe angle between the telescopic member 51 and the seat part 21, andrests against the rear leg 4. In this normal chair configuration, aweight lifting device 6 may be attached to the front end of the seatpart 21 so that a user may sit on the chair and perform some footexercises.

To go to the second configuration of the multifunctional chair as shownin FIG. 2, in which the seat part 21 together with the backrest part 22are placed in a substantially horizontal position, i.e., in the firstraised position, the motor 522 is actuated to rotate the threaded rod511 to extend from the outer cylinder 512 such that the outer cylinder512 upwardly urges the seat part 21 to be displaced from the front leg3. The angular position of the seat part 21 is consequently varied dueto the pivotal rotation of the seat part 21 about the pivot connection“A”. As the seat part 21 is raised, and the backrest part 22 and therear leg 4 are moved so that the backrest part 22 falls back to asubstantially horizontal position with the seat part 21. In thishorizontal configuration, a flat surface is provided for a user toperform back stretching exercises or other suitable exercises.

To go to the third configuration of the multifunctional chair, i.e.,from the first raised position to the second raised position shown inFIG. 3, the motor 522 is once again actuated so that the telescopicmember 51 urges the seat part 21 upward further, and the seat part 21turns about the pivot connection “A” and changes its angular position,so that the seat part 21 and backrest part 22 which are in thehorizontal position are inclined at substantially the same incliningangle. In this inclined configuration of the multifunctional chair, theexercise function of an inversion table is provided.

With reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, a second preferred embodiment of themultifunctional chair according to the present invention is shown. Thesecond embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment,except in the following aspects:

The telescopic member 51 of the telescopic device 5 is pivotallyattached to the rear end of the seat part 21 through a connection plate211, and the drive means 52 is mounted adjacent the second end 12 of thebase 1. As in the first preferred embodiment, the telescopic member 51in the normal position provides a chair configuration as shown in FIG.4, or the telescopic member 51 may be actuated by the drive means 52 tourge the seat part 21 upwardly to a first raised position where the seatpart 21 and the backrest part 22 are placed in a substantiallyhorizontal position, best shown in FIG. 5, or to urge the seat 21further to a second raised position such that the horizontal seat part21 and backrest part 22 are inclined at substantially the same incliningangle, best shown in FIG. 6.

With reference to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, a third preferred embodiment of themultifunctional chair according to the present invention is shown. Thisthird embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment,except in the following aspects:

The front leg 3′ is composed of first and second portions 31,32 whichare pivotally interconnected to one another. One end 312 of the firstportion 31 opposite to the second portion 32 is pivotally connected tothe base 1, while one end 322 of the second portion 32 opposite to thefirst portion 31 is pivotally attached to the seat part 21. The firstand second portions 31,32 are inclined with respect to each other andthe angle formed therebetween are varied as the seat part 21 is urgedupward by the telescopic member 51 in the first and second raisedpositions. This construction of the front leg 3′ provides a supportingeffect to the seat part 21 in all three configurations of themultifunctional chair. In the same way as in the first embodiment, thetelescopic member 51 in the normal position provides a chairconfiguration as shown in FIG. 7, or the telescopic member 51 may beactuated by the drive means 52 to urge the seat part 21 upwardly to afirst raised position where the seat part 21 and the backrest part 22are placed in a substantially horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 8,or to urge the seat 21 further to a second raised position such that thehorizontal seat part 21 and backrest part 22 are inclined atsubstantially the same inclining angle, as shown in FIG. 9.

It can be appreciated, from the foregoing description, that themultifunctional chair of the present invention has the followingadvantages and effects:

The present invention integrates various functions into one structure.Thus, the present invention allows for extensive savings not only interms of space but also in terms of expenses as it would not benecessary to have a number of exercise or fitness machines to be able toperform different exercises. It is worthwhile to mention that thepresent invention is fairly simple in terms of operation. It is onlynecessary to actuate the telescopic device 5 to achieve the object ofchanging the configuration of the multifunctional chair to provide adifferent function. This effectively elevates the utility andconvenience of the multifunctional chair in terms of use.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or centralcharacteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments,therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details givenherein.

1. A multifunctional chair comprising: a base adapted to rest on theground; a support frame including a seat part and a backrest partpivotally attached to said seat part in the normal position of saidchair; a leg frame supporting said support frame and including a rearleg disposed between said backrest part and said base, said rear leghaving a first end pivotally connected to said backrest part and asecond end pivotally connected to said base; and a power-operatedtelescopic device disposed between said base and said support frame,said telescopic device including a telescopic member pivotally connectedto said seat part, said telescopic member being operable to maintainsaid seat part at a level lower than said backrest in the normalposition providing a chair function, or to move said seat part to afirst raised position in which said seat part together with saidbackrest part are placed in a substantially horizontal position, or to asecond raised position in which said seat part together with saidbackrest part are inclined at substantially the same inclining angle,wherein said leg frame further includes a front leg disposed betweensaid seat part and said base and attached to said base.
 2. Themultifunctional chair of claim 1, wherein said telescopic member isdisposed between said front leg and said rear leg.
 3. Themultifunctional chair of claim 1, wherein said telescopic memberincludes an internally threaded outer cylinder and an externallythreaded rod inserted threadedly into said outer cylinder, and saidtelescopic device further includes drive means to rotate said rod toeither retract or extend from said outer cylinder.
 4. Themultifunctional chair of claim 1, wherein said front leg supports saidseat part in said normal position of said chair.
 5. The multifunctionalchair of claim 1, wherein said front leg includes a first portion and asecond portion pivotally connected to said first portion, one end ofsaid first portion opposite to said second portion being pivotallyattached to said base, and one end of said second portion opposite tosaid first portion being pivotally attached to said seat part.
 6. Themultifunctional chair of claim 1, wherein said seat part has a rear endconnected to said backrest part and a front end opposite to said rearend, and said telescopic number is pivotally connected to said seat partbetween said front and rear ends.
 7. The multifunctional chair of claim1, wherein said seat part has a rear end connected to said backrest partand a front end opposite to said rear end, and said telescopic member ispivotally connected to said rear end of said seat part.
 8. Themultifunctional chair of claim 1, wherein said seat part has a rear endconnected to said backrest part and a front end opposite to said rearend, and said support frame further includes a weight lifting deviceattached to said front end of said seat part for providing foot exercisefunction when said seat part is placed in said normal position.